Loom harness



May 17, 19 5 J. .1. KAUFMANN LOOM HARNESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1954 m Iv mm JOHN J. KAUFMAN N ATTORNEY.

May 17, 1955 J. KAUFMANN LOOM HARNESS s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1954 FIG. 3

FIG.2

FIG.5

IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 1955 J. J. KAUFMANN LOOM HARNESS Filed April 1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F I G. 7

FIG. 6

JNVENTOR. JOHN J. KAUFMANN ATTORN LOOM HARNESS John J. Kaufmann, Rydal, Pa., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corpora- This invention relates to loom harness, and it relates more particularly to novel and improved means for supporting the heddle rods in the loom harness frames intermediate the ends thereof.

More specifically considered, the present invention relates to the means for supporting the heddle rods intermediate their ends in loom harness of the type which is particularly adapted to be used in installations in which the warp is entered in the harness by means of automatic drawing-in machines.

As is, of course, understood by those familiar with the modern appliances used in weaving by establishments employing installations of the character aforesaid, it is necessary, in the use of drawing-in machines for entering the warp that the heddles have complete freedom of movement from one end of the frame to the other, without any interference from the devices, commonly called hooks, which are used for supporting the heddle rods intermediate their ends.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide, in loom harness frames, improved means for supporting the heddle rods intermediate their ends, particularly adaptable for use in loom harness of the type used in installations in which it is necessary or desirable for the heddles to have complete freedom of movement on the supporting rods on which they are mounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved heddle rod supporting means, of the character aforesaid, so constructed and arranged as to permit the heddle rods to be disconnected at one end of the frame for the purpose of removing or adding heddles, without at the same time disconnecting the said rods from their intermediate supports, but which, however, will permit the heddle rods with the heddles mounted thereon to be readily removed from the frame in their entirety if so desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a loom harness frame of the character aforesaid, improved heddle rod supporting means so constructed and arranged as to permit adjustment thereof with ease and facility, whereby the proper parallelism of the heddle rods may be maintained, to the end that, in the operation of the loom, the heddles will not bind on the heddle rods and thereby cause warp streaks and other defects in the weave.

The nature and characteristic features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a loom harness frame having means embodying the main features of the present invention for supporting the heddle rods intermediate their ends;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view, enlarged, illustrating a portion of one of the rails of the frame, a portion of one of the heddle rods, and one of the intermediate supporting devices of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of one 2,703,455 Patented May 17, 1955 'ice of the heddle rods and a portion of one of the intermediate supporting devices about to be brought into operative relationship;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. .6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a modified form of the invention in which the harness frame rails are made of wood; and

Fig. 7is a vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and that Various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the heddle frame proper may be of any preferred construction, and as there shown, the same may comprise top and bottom rails 10, made of extruded metal shapes of the desired formation in cross-section.

The top and bottom rails 10 of the frame are connected at their ends by end struts which may each comprise an intermediate wooden portion 11 reinforced, on the inner and outer edges respectively, by metal strips 12 and 13, having their ends bent over as at 14 and 15 for securing the end struts to the rails 10 by means of screws 16, or in any other preferred manner.

At the usual locations in the length of the harness frames there are mounted the heddle supporting rods 17, the ends of which may be secured by means of spring members 18 such, for example, as are shown on sheet 3 of the drawings of my previous Letters Patent No. 2,560,512, although any other preferred fastening devices may be used for securing the ends of the heddle rods 17.

The heddle supporting rods 17 are made of relatively thin metal whereby there may be employed heddles 19 of the type in which the heddle strips are of substantially the same width throughout their length. Such heddles may be provided with the usual central warp eyes 20, and with slots 21 at each end for mounting the heddles on the rods 17, one side of the metal at each of said slots being cut away as at 22, substantially midway the extension of the slot 21, so that when the heddles are moved sidewise on the rods 17 they will pass freely without being obstructed by the means for supporting the heddle rods intermediate their ends, which means constitute the principal novel portion of the present invention to be hereinafter described.

Each rail It} is provided along the inner edge portion thereof with a groove to permit the passage therethrough of the fastening screws 31 of the devices for supporting the heddle rods intermediate their ends. Said grooves 30 are also each provided with an enlarged portion 32 in which slide bars 33 are disposed, in which slide bars the inner ends of the screws 31 are threaded.

Bracket members are mounted on the screws 31, said bracket members each having bent over horizontal portions 41 through which said screws 31 extend. Interposed between the horizontal portion 41 of each bracket member 40 and the inner edge of the rail 10 in which said bracket member 40 is mounted is a bowed spring 42 through the end portions of which the screws 31 extend. The foregoing arrangement is such that each bracket member 49 may have a slight range of adjustment with respect to the rail 10 in which it is mounted, so that in the event of distortion of the rails by reason of the strains imposed upon the harness frames, adjustment of the bracket 40 toward and away from the rail in may be readily made by a screw driver or the like for the purpose. of maintaining the parallelism of the heddle rods with respect to each other.

The bracket members 40 are preferably made by being punched and formed of sheet metal, and each has an inwardly extending portion 43, having that part thereof which is disposed opposite to the heddle rod shaped to provide a longitudinally extending socket. For this purpose the metal of the bracket member has its central portion 44 bent outwardly at one side, and its end portions 45 bent outwardly to the other side, whereby the socket is adapted for the lengthwise receptiton of a tongue member 46 carried by the heddle rod 17. The tongue member 4d may be formed by punching out the metal on each side of said tongue &6 and pressing the tongue 46 out of the plane of the heddle rod proper. (See Figs. 2, 4 and 5.)

By the foregoing arrangement, when it is desired to remove the heddle rods from the frame, with the heddles mounted thereon, the hiddle rods may be released at each end by the proper manipulation of the spring members 18 after which by sliding the heddle rods 17 lengthwise with respect to the frame, the tongues 46 of the heddle rods may be disengaged from the sockets of their respective bracket members as said heddle rods are thus moved lengthwise.

On the other hand, if it should be desired merely to add or remove heddles from the frame, this may be readily done by releasing the top and bottom heddle rods at one end only of the frame, so that, by springing the ends of the heddle rods outwardly from the normal plane thereof, access may be had for removing or adding heddles as desired.

Furthermore, the arrangement herein provided affords a ready means for adjusting the heddle rods and for maintaining the same in proper parailelism whereby the binding of the heddles on the rods is prevented and warp streaks and other defects in the weave caused by such binding will be eliminated.

Each rail 13 may also be provided with grooves 59 in the outer edge portion thereof which may be used for the purpose of mounting the strap connector hooks 51. The grooves St) in such portions of the rails 16 may be of the same shape as those along the inner edges: of the rails, and the enlarged portions 52 thereof may have slide bars 53 mounted therein. The slide bars 5'3 may be clamped at any desired location by means of screws 54 which are threaded in the slide bars 53. A plate member 55 may be positioned on the outer edge surface of the rail 18 upon which the heads of the screws 54 bear for clamping the f slide bars 53 at desired longitudinal positions in the grooves 58.

The strap connector hooks 51 are mounted in and carried by the slide bars 53 and have their shank portions extending through the grooves 50.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings is substantially similar to that shown in the other figures, and illustrates the manner of use of the invention in connection with harness frames in which the top and bottom rails are made of wood. In this instance, in lieu of screws 31 of the machine type being used for securing the bracket members 40 to their respective slide bars 33, there are provided wood screws 61 which are threaded directly into the wood of the rail for the same purpose.

In this instance, the central portion of the bow spring 42 bears against the inner edge of the rail and the various parts function in the same manner as the other form with the exception that lengthwise adjustment or movement of the bracket members 40 is eliminated. The structures shown in Figs. 6 and 7 are otherwise substantially the same as those shown in the other parts of the drawings.

I claim:

1. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, said bracket members each having a portion extending adjacent the inner edge of the rail, a spring disposed between said portion of the bracket member and the edge of the rail, screws for adjustably positioning the bracket members against the tension of said spring, and means for separably connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod.

2. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members sesured to the inner edge portions of the rail, said bracket members each having a portion extending adjacent the inner edge of the rail, a spring disposed between said portion of the bracket member and the edge of the rail, screws for adjustably positioning the bracket member against the tension of said spring, and means for separably connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod comprising the provision in connection with each of said bracket members of a tongue portion struck up out of the main plane of the heddle rod and extending parallel thereto, and a longitudinally engageable socket in the bracket member.

3. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, said bracket members each having a portion extending adjacent the inner edge of the rail, a spring disposed between said portion of the bracket member and the edge of the rail, means for separably connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod, and means for adjustably positioning the bracket members against the tension of said spring comprising the provision in the inner edge portion of the rail of a longitudinally extending groove, slide bars in vsaid groove, and means adjustably connected to said slide bars and to the portion of the bracket member adjacent the inner edge of the rail.

4. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, said bracket members each having a portion extending adjacent the inner edge of the rail, a spring disposed between said portion of the bracket member and the edge of the rail, means for separably connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod, and means for adjustably positioning the bracket members against the tension of said spring comprising the provision in the inner edge portion of the rail of a longitudinally extending groove, slide bars in said groove, and screws threaded in said slide bars extending through the portion of the bracket member adjacent the inner edge of the rail and through said spring.

5. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, and means for connecting the bracket member to aheddle rodcomprising the provision in connection with each of said bracket membersof a tongue portion struck up out of the main plane of the heddle rod and extending parallel thereto, and the bracket member having a socket longitudinally engageable by the tongue portion of the heddle bar.

6. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, said bracket members each having a portion extending adjacent the inner edge of the rail, means for adjustably positioning the bracket member with respect to the inner edge of the rail, and means for connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod comprising the provision in connection with each of said bracket members of a tongue portion struck up out of the main plane of the heddle rod and extending parallel thereto, and a socket in the bracket member longitudinally engageable by the tongue portion of the heddle'rod.

7. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members adjustably secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, and means for connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod comprising the provision in connection with each of said bracket members of a tongue portion struck up out of the main plane of the heddle rod and extending parallel thereto, and a socket in the bracket member longitudinally engageable by the tongue portion of the heddle rod.

8. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, said bracket members each having a portion extending adjacent the inner edge of the rail, a spring disposed between said portion of the bracket member and the edge of the rail, means for adjustably positioning the bracket member against the tension of said spring, and means for connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod comprising the provision in connection With each of said bracket members of a tongue portion struck up out of the main plane of the heddle rod and extending parallel thereto, and a socket in the bracket member longitudinally engageable by the tongue portion of the heddle rod.

9. In loom harness including a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, end struts connecting the ends of said top and bottom rails, heddle rods removably mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the ends of the heddle rods, and means for supporting the heddle rods at locations intermediate the ends thereof, said heddle rod supporting means comprising bracket members secured to the inner edge portions of the rails, said bracket members each having a portion extending adjacent the inner edge of the rail, a spring disposed between said portion of the bracket member and the edge of the rail, means for adjustably positioning the bracket member against the tension of said spring, and means for connecting the bracket member to a heddle rod comprising the provision in connection with each of said bracket members of a tongue portion struck up out of the main plane of the heddle rod and extending parallel thereto, and a socket in the bracket member longitudinally engageable by the tongue portion of the heddle rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,076,148 Kaufmann, Jr. Apr. 6, 1937 2,394,178 Hollingsworth, Jr. Feb. 5, 1946 2,397,788 Hollingsvvorth, Jr Apr. 2, 1946 2,445,070 Kaufmann July 13, 1948 2,511,822 Kaufmann June 13, 1950 

